This invention relates to golf and more particularly to practice or teaching aids for golfers to prevent improper shifting of the golfer's rear leg and improper swaying of the golfer's hips.
In order for one to score well when playing the game of golf, the golfer must have a properly "grooved" swing, and this involves shifting the golfer's weight correctly without undo rearward shifting of the back leg or swaying of the golfer's hips during the backswing. Most golf novices have a tendency when shifting weight during the backswing to lean their body rearwardly by swaying or tilting their rear leg and knee. When this occurs the golfer's weight shifts too far rearwardly and does not return correctly as the golfer's body and golf club come forwardly. This generally results in the face of the club being too open on impact with the ball and not only results in loss of distance but also in the ball slicing, i.e., the ball spinning so as to curve in the lateral direction toward which the body faces, e.g., the right of a right-handed golfer. Additionally, if the golfer's hips sway rearwardly during the backswing, the rear leg bends and too much weight shifts to the rear foot resulting in a slice.
Most golfers have much difficulty in correcting these difficiences and some never do -- even after obtaining professional help.
Although various devices have been proposed for these purposes in the prior art, none of the proposals appear to have found acceptance, either because they have not performed satisfactorily or were too complicated for their purposes. For example, in Brandell U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,356, a leg shift preventing device was proposed which included a foot rest upon which the rear foot of the golfer is placed, a bracket associated with the foot rest was to engage the rear leg when shifted too far rearwardly. Since most golfers, even when practicing, wear cleated golf shoes, this device is awkward in use. Devices for restraining hip sway have been numerously proposed in the prior art. Examples of devices of this type which are relevant to the present invention include the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Ungar 1,561,960; Cushing 3,079,152; Sheldon 3,215,438; Fisher 3,442,513; Wilson 3,870,317; Dickey 3,940,144; and Arena 4,134,589. However, none of these devices sufficiently precludes hip sway while permitting the required pivoting of the hips throughout the backswing and forwardswing of the golfer.